


Never Again

by Nifflers_n_nargles



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Eventual Drarry, HP: EWE, Harry/Draco slow burn, M/M, Mentions of Canon War, Post-Battle of Hogwarts, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, The Students Take Over, mentions of cannon deaths
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-23
Updated: 2018-02-23
Packaged: 2019-03-23 04:33:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13779786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nifflers_n_nargles/pseuds/Nifflers_n_nargles
Summary: After the Battle of Hogwarts the adults thought they would be able to fix the mess the wizard it world had become. They thought they would have all of the answers, as if they hadn’t allowed a madman to overtake the country, as if they hadn’t rolled over and shown him their bellies. The students of Hogwarts knew that if there was to be any real change it would come from them. They were the future of the wizarding world and they held more power than they knew.





	Never Again

**Author's Note:**

> This piece was inspired by the incredible students of Parkland, FL and the way they have carried themselves in the wake of this terrible and disgusting tragedy at their school. I am in awe of their courage and grace in such a terrible time. Being a teacher in this climate is extremely difficult and its been hard for me to process my feelings in a productive way. I hope to be able to honor the spirit of their movement through this piece. It is a work in progress. Comments and feedback (concrit) is greatly appreciated.
> 
> This chapter contains brief mentions of the battle, student deaths, and mourning children. Nothing is overly detailed but please, protect your mental health!

The first night after the Battle of Hogwarts they mourned. The students, along with a smattering of elder Weasley siblings and Hogwarts alum, huddled together in a common room; to this day none of them could remember which common room it was, only that they were all together. Gryffindor. Slytherin. Ravenclaw. Hufflepuff.

Brave. Cunning. Smart. Kind. These houses, these labels, served to divide them despite Dumbledore’s repeated encouragements to the contrary. They clung to each other and mourned the dead, telling stories so they could live on in memories. They cried and laughed and cried some more. At some point in that long night they realized that they were all the same. They were all children of war, no matter the side. They had all lived and loved and lost through the war. They knew they needed to be the last ones. No other children should have to grow up as they did, as their parents did. Two generations of the wizarding world destroyed by a megalomaniac. Never again.

They allowed themselves that one night to mourn their friends, and loved ones, and childhoods ended too soon. They allowed themselves one night of sadness.

The second night after the Battle of Hogwarts they organized.

The students knew the adults could not be trusted to do this the right way. They had their opportunity after the first war but deep down nothing had changed. They knew that if there was to be a lasting change, one where they were the last children of war, that they needed to take matters into their own hands.

Everyone had looked to Harry. He was the obvious choice, the Boy Who Lived, Twice. The one who vanquished the Dark Lord. He had survived and been named the victor. He was the natural choice to lead them now. What they had not anticipated was that they would be looking at a broken man. A year on the run had worn him down. The battle had worn him down. The fear and the anger and the grief and the shame had worn him down. Everything was finally taking its toll. He was too deep in his pain. He was not the leader they needed. He would be the face of their revolution, but he would not be its leader. It's leaders would surprise everyone, including themselves.

As they sat around a common room students threw around ideas of how they should proceed. A fifth year suggested locking the adults out of Hogwarts and making it their base. This was quickly vetoed as the castle was too damaged for them to secure. A moon-eyed fourth year told the room that attacking the Ministry and taking it over using Body-Binds was the best course. A tactless sixth year roughly told the child that a coup would not endear their cause to anyone. A seventh year - Terry Boot, perhaps - wondered if there were any adults they felt could be relied upon. The first person they thought of was McGonnagall, sure she had supported Dumbledore even when his judgements had been misguided, but she had defended them and supported them and was the rightful Headmistress. The group quickly agreed that Flitwick, Sprout, Sinistra, and Hagrid could all be trusted as well but that none of the adults should be looped in until absolutely necessary. They did not need their plans being derailed by good intentions. It had been Draco who had made that last point, his cunningness a virtue in that moment, but it had been Neville who affirmed his thought.

The room was surprised at the force behind this assertion. That a Longbottom could agree with a Malfoy on anything, even as they laid their plan. But to them it was not a surprise. Both had experienced more pain than most because of these wars. They had both been abused and tortured and had come out the other side a different person. Neville had led the resistance within Hogwarts during the year of terror. He had defied the Carrows and protected his peers. He had killed the snake with the Sword of Gryffindor. He had grown into an unlikely leader in the vacuum left by the Golden Trios disappearance. Draco had always been his own kind of leader, even if he had used those power for (coerced) evil. He had the confidence and swagger of king before the war, now he was fervently trying to make up for his past wrongs. Emerging from the shadow of his family after the battle had shown him to be a completely different person.There was a mutual understanding between the two of them in that moment as they locked eyes. The group had found their leaders. Although their partnership was unexpected, together they would become an unstoppable force.

The group worked late into the night formulating and finalizing their plan. Roles were assigned, travel plans needed to be arranged, inventories of resources needed to be taken. Teams were formed and assignments distributed as the moon traveled across the night sky. Groups dispersed to gather or conjure what they needed under the cover of darkness as stars faded from sight. The last details were finalized as the sun began to rise over the lake. The students were bleary eyed but firm in their conviction that this was the right way forward. The plan had come together like a puzzle in that long night, ideas being tested and moved around their “map” until it all fit together just right. The plan was a good one, even Hermione said so. Fleur, with tears in her eyes, declared it a testament to the memories of those they lost. They slipped off to bed as the sun climbed higher in the sky. Rebuilding the world was tiring work and they would need all the enegry the could muster.

The third night after the Battle of Hogwarts they mobilized.


End file.
